Wheel-cultivator



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. CHILDREN. WHEEL GULTIVATOR.

Patented Aug. '19, 1890.

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Moran (No Model.) I 2 .Sheets Sheet 2.

E. CHILDREN. WHEEL GULYTIVATOR. N0. 434,765.v v Patgtd Aug. 19, 1890.

UNITED STATES Y PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN OHILDREN,1OF EAST DUBUQUE, ILLINOIS.

WHEEL-CULTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,765, dated August19, 1890.

Application filed March 23, 1889.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN CHILDREN, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Dubuque, in the county of Jo Daviess and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \VheeledCultivators; andI do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear,and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to wheel-cultivators, but has more especialreference to those heretofore patented by me in the following LettersPatent, viz: No. 62,004, dated February 12, 1867; No. 159,550, datedFebruary 9, 1875, and No. 334,641, dated January 19, 1886.

In the above-mentioned patents it will be understood that the front endsof the reaches, together with the yoke to which the forward ends of theplow-beams were hinged, were carried laterally on a track provided withrollers; but in my present construction I do away with the track androllers, and instead loosely suspend these ends with the yoke, whereby Iam enabled to obtain not only a lateral, but also an uprightorperpendicular, movement of the plow beams, and also perpendicularmovement of each beam separately.

The principal feature, therefore, of my invention consists of looselysuspending the for ward ends of the plow-beams in such a manner thatthey are thus made capable of both horizontal and perpendicularmovements; and the pressure or resistance of the shovels on the earthand the cut of the same in depth may be thus regulated with precision,and, further, by means of this novel suspension of the forward ends ofthe plow-beams the operator can use my cultivator more readily than hasheretofore been the case in hard or soft soil, up hill or down, on thehillsides and in the widely-varying conditions of the listed corn, orconveniently in any work wherein a horizontal or perpendicular adjustment 0f the plow-beams and shovels becomes imperative. I can alsoobtain by these means a higher draft-point, a freer action of the 5odouble-trees, and also use a shorter beam.

' My invention further relates to other but Serial No. 304,395. (Nomodel.)

less important details of construction, all of which will be more fullyhereinafter described and claimed, and which areillustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in each view, and in which Figure 1 is a sideperspective view of a portion of my invention; Fig. 2, a rearperspective View of the same. Fig. 3, a sectional view of one of thereach-bars and a portion of one of the plow-beams, showing theconnections between the reach-bars and axles and the plow-beams; Fig. 4,an enlarged perspective view of the connections between the reach-barsand the plow-beams, and Fig. 5, a similar view of the supporting-cranefor the plow-beams. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the yoke; and Fig.7, the collar T, to which the chain is attache A represents the axle, tothe ends of which are mounted the wheels, adapted to work on each sideof the row. To this axle is attached the frame-work, consisting of thetwo oblique pieces a a and the two flat connecting-pieces Z) 1),extending across the front portion of the said oblique pieces a a.

Pivoted by means of a pin between the two fiat connecting-pieces Z) l)of the main frame is the pole 0, provided at its extreme rear end withafriction-roller e, adapted to bear on the fiat metallic track 6,connecting the two oblique bars a a Near the rear extremity of the poleG, and 011 top of the same, is pivotally mounted a crotch or stirrup f,and the two branch parallel arms of said stirrup are provided with slotsf f" in each arm, and into these slots are inserted the pins g g,extending out on each side of an operating-lever D. This operating-leveris preferably provided with a number of these pins g, so that thefulcrum of the lever may be changed and the power thereby obtainednicely regulated, and the operator can more readily reach the lever,whether riding or walking. The rear portion of this operating-lever D isformed into a suitable spherical handle g, adapted to be grasped by thedriver or operator, and the forward end of this lever D is connected bymeans of an ordinary metallic link or connecting-rod h to apivotingdevice h,securely fastened to either one of the oblique braces aa.

Beneath and to the under side of the axle A are pivoted the rear ends ofthe two reachbars 0, (illustrated in Fig. 3,) as follows: At the rearend of each reach-bar is securely fastened a flat metallic strip (1,provided with a hole therein, through which a pin d of smaller diameterextends. Surrounding this fiat strip is a rectangular plate or box cl,acting as abrace for the lower portion of the pin d. By means of thisarrangement it will be seen that the reach-bars are capable of both alimited horizontal and vertical movement on the pins (1. At the forwardportion of each reach-bar are securely fastened two fiat metallic arms jj-one on the top and the other on the bottom of each reach-bar-andpivoted between these two arms, by means of short integral metallic pins7' 7' is a metallic sleeve J, encircling the metallic yoke E and looselykeyed to said yoke. This yoke E is preferably made from a single pieceof metal and curved upward at the center so as to pass over the corn orwhatever is to be cultivated.

On each side of the sleeve J, and also eucircling the yoke E, is anintegral arm L of the clevis F. The rear or main body portion L of thisclevis is rigidly fastened to the forward end of the upper side of theplow-beam by means of bolts. By means of the clevis and connections justdescribed it will be evident that the front portion of the reach-barsmaybe moved in a horizontal direction by reason of the arms jj' beingpivoted or hinged on the collar J, and that this horizontal movement ofthe front ends of the reach-bars will cause the yoke E to move in a likedirection, and thereby carry the plow-beams at right angles with it in asimilar direction by means of the clevis F. The outer extension of thesleeve J is encircled by another sleeve T of greater diameter, as shownin Fig. 7, which sleeve extends to the outer end of the yoke E,and,being open on its under side, extends on both sides of the arm L ofthe clevis F and fits closely around the outer end of the yoke E. Thissleeve T is supplied upon one side with several slots e e, into whichthe projection E, which is made integral with the arm L of the clevis F,meshes with and prevents this sleeve from turning around on the yoke E.The object of having more than one slot formed in the sleeve T is tochange the space between the plow-beams in order to operate the shovelsnear to or away from the plants to be cultivated, according as may bedemanded by their condition. 011 the opposite side from the slots e e eof the sleeve T is a hook m, to which the chain, presently to bedescribed farther on, is hooked. It will now be seen that the sleeve Twhile in operation is prevented from sliding upon the yoke E either tothe right or left by means of a lug e",cast on the extension of thesleeve J but this does not prevent the sleeve T from turning upon theyoke E when desired.

Directly above the track c and secured to the upper side of each'oblique brace a a, is

a bar II, made, preferably, of wood,and extending some little dis ancebeyond the outside of each brace. Rigidly secured to the upper side ofthis bar H, and a little to one side of the oblique braces a a,are themetallic uprights n n, arranged in pairs, as shown,

on its rear portion and on the outside thereof.

Pivoted at its forward ends to these pins 71." is a preferably metalliclever I I, each provided with an opening 1), adapted to be inserted overany one of the lugs 0" 0", so that each lever may be locked at any pointin its path of movement. construction, passing upwardly between theuprights n n and over the bar ll, connects the said levers I I with thebefore-mentioned hooks m, formed on the outward portion of the sleeve T.By this means it will be seen that either of the levers I may be raisedor lowered and locked at any point on the lugs 0" 0" of thelocking-pieces 0 0'. These movements of the levers will elevate anddepress the forward ends of the plow-beams and reaches by means of theconnecting-chains and by reason of the locking-pieces 0 0', and thus theelevation and depression of the forward ends of the plow-beams may beregulated with certainty.

The suspension of the forward'end of the reaches a a and yoke E by thechain q g on the hook m of the sleeve T at a pointjust for- Ward or nearthe hinged center of the forward end of the plow-beams greatly increasesthe tendency to'hold the shovels down firmly and rigidly to their work,and also enables me to use a shorter beam and a higher hinge-point thanwould otherwise necessarily be required. It will now be apparent that bythis suspension of the forward ends of the plowbeams and reaches throughthe means of the chains q q, attached at or near the said hinged centerto the hook m and running back in a slightly oblique direction, thedoubletree can be attached more conveniently farther back and nearer theaxle, and its free movement will not be thereby interfered with throughthe means of the suspending-chains q q or the curved yoke E, and thisconstruction and ar' rangement lessens the obstruction to the outlook ofthe driver. It further enables the operator or driver, by raising orlowering the levers I I, to change the pitch or angle of the shovelswhile the cultivator is moving forward, and thus be enabled to meet thevarious conditions that may arise.

At the other end of the plow-beams, on the arms J J, are secured themetallic shovels, (not shown,) constructed as usual, and capable ofbeing adjusted to any position in horizontal plane by any suitabledevice.

A chain q q of any suitable On the rear ends of the oblique braces a a Ieach side of the support ris a lug r",'prefer-.

ably made integral with the same and provided each with a horizontalslot 0" therein. Engaging with these slots or openings 9' is a lug 5,formed on each side of a right-angled lever L and made integraltherewith. The short or vertical arm .9 of the right-angled lever L iskept normally outward by means of a leaf-spring t, attached to the upperpart of the support-arm, its free end extending downward and bearingagainst the arm 5', so that the said arm will thereby be kept parallelwith said spring. The long orcurved arm t of this right-angled lever isprovided at its rearward extremity with a hook t for the purposementioned hereinafter. It will now be evident that when any downwardstrain is brought to bear on the horizontal arm i it will cause said armto be depressed, and the short arm will thereby be forced against thetension of the spring 25, and by such means it will be apparent that thesupport offered by the support 15 on the ends of the curved arm t willbe a very elastic one. To each plow-beam, and rigidly fastened thereto,is an inverted bearing-box carrying within it an ordinary pulley-wheelu, and directly to the rear of each pulley is located alever-and-ratchet device for locking the same, consisting as follows: Aquadrant M is rigidly secured to each plow-beam, and is provided alongitsupper edge with a series of retaining-teeth o. The bearing-boxcarrying the wheel a may be cast with the quadrant M, and thus form onepiece. Pivoted to the lower portion of each quadrant is a lever N,provided with a lug adapted to engage with any one of theretaining-teeth o of the quadrant M. This lever N is also provided withan arm n and a hook c at its forward end and made integral therewith. Achain w, connecting at one end with the hook t and passing under thepulley-wheel u,is attached at its other end to a hook e on the arm 1).

Connecting the rear portion of the pole C with one of the reach-bars isa connectingrod 2', pivoted at one end to the lower side of the poleCand to the upper part of the reachbar by means of any usual andsuitable pivoting device.

swung partly around on its pivot by reason of the link 71 remainingstationary, carrying the yoke and reach-bars with it, since bothreachbars are connected by means of the yoke E, and as the plow-beamsare attached to said reach-bars by means of the clevis F the saidplow-beams will be moved parallel with the forward end of the reach-barand parallel with each other.

By means of the lever M and chain '20 the rear end of each plow-beam canbe either elevated or lowered, thereby causing the shovels to enter theground to a depth correspondin g with the position of each plow-beam,and in this way effectually regulating the depth of cut.

The levers N are below the drivers seat, on each side thereof, and canthereby be easily controlled by the operator.

Since the chains w are attached to and supported by the arm 25', andsince the plow-beams are in turn supported by these chains, it follows,as before mentioned, that the support offered the plow-beams is a veryelastic one. The usual doubletrees are preferably pivoted to thepivoting-pin of the pole C, and to each end of this doubletree isattached the usual whifiletrees, to which the team is harnessed.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a wheeled cultivator, the combination of the yoke and theplowbeams hinged at their forward ends to said yok'e with the reachbarspivoted at their forward ends to said yoke and their rear ends to theaxle, and each plow-beam flexibly suspended at its forward end, for thepurposes set forth.

2. In a wheeled cultivator, a pair of reachbars pivotally attached tothe axle at their rear ends and pivoted at their forward ends to a yokeE, cultivator-beams carrying the usual knives and hinged to the yoke soas to be capable of moving only at right angles to the plane of saidyoke, and a supporting-chain for supporting each end of said yoke, allarranged and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

3. In a wheeled cultivator, the yoke with the plow-beams hinged at theirforward ends to said yoke and reach-bars pivoted to said yoke at theirforward ends, in combination with a ratchet and lever andsuspendingchains attached at one end near the front end of theplow-beams and at their other end to said lever, whereby the front endsof the plow-beams may be raised and lowered, substantially as set forth.

4- The combination, with the axle, of the framework attached to thesame, the pole O, pivoted within said frame, the lever D, pivoted tosaid pole and connected to the frame, the reach-bars pivoted to saidaxle, the plowbeams hinged to the yoke E, and the connecting-rodconnecting said pole and said reachbars, substantially as set forth.

ICO

5. The combination, with the axle, of the frame attached thereto, thereach-bars pivoted to said axle and supported by means of chains, andthe plow-beams hinged to the yoke, and supported at thei r rear endsbymeans of chains attached to an elastic supporting-crane, substantiallyas set forth.

6. The combination, with the axle, of the reach-bars pivoted thereto andsupported by means of chains attached to a locking-lever and theplow-beams hinged to the yoke and supported by means of chains at theirforward ends, also attached to said locking-levers, for the purposes setforth, substantially as described.

7. In a wheeled cultivator, a pole C, pivoted to the main frame of thesame, and the lever D, pivoted to said pole and connected to the saidframe, in combination with the reachbars pivoted to the axle and theplow-beams hinged at their forward ends to the yoke E, substantially asset forth.

8. In a cultivator, the combination of the wheels, the pole C, pivotedwithin the main frame, the lever D, pivoted to said pole Oand connectedwith said main frame, the connecting-rod connecting said pole with oneof the reach-bars, the reach-bars pivoted to the main axle at their rearends and at their forward ends to a sleeve surrounding the yoke E, con-30 meeting the forward ends of the reach-bars, the plow-beams hinged attheir forward ends to said yoke E on each side of said sleeve, thesupporting-chains for the forward ends of the reach-bars and the rearends of the plea? 35 beams, and the shovels secured to said plowbeams,substantially as described.

9. In awheeled cultivator, the combination, with the reach-bars pivotedto the axle and suspended at their free ends, of the yoke E, alsosuspended on the reach-bars, and plowbeams hinged to the yoke E at theirforward ends and suspended at their rear ends by means of chains,substantially as set forth.

10. In a wheel-cultivator, a yoke and the plow-beams hinged at theirforward ends to said 'yoke, in combination with a toothed sleeve uponboth'ends of the yoke and interlooking with the hinge of saidplow-beams, whereby the space between the plow-beams may be changed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN CHILDREN. W'itnesses:

MONROE M. CADY, I. J. NELSON.

